Shields



(No Model.)

- W. GRBENSHIELDS.

SHOULDER BRACE- No. 525,597. Patented Sept. 4,' 1894.

WITNESSES." lNVE/VTOF K! By w fj A TTOHNEYS.

4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER GREENSHIELDS, OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.

SHOULDER-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,597, dated September 4, 1894. Application Angust 25, 1893. Serial No. 484,037. (No model.) Patented in New Zealand October 25, 1892, No. 5,852.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER GREEN- SHIELDS, of Auckland, New Zealand, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoulder-Braces, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in New Zealand, No. 5,852, dated October 25, 1892,) of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates more especially to shoulder braces for women and children, by the use of which the shoulders may be properly held back to expand the chest, and proper support be given to the back.

The invention consists in the novel features hereinafter particularly described and defined in the claims, such features being designed to simplify the construction, promote efiiciency in the use of the braces, and make the fitting and adjustment of the same quite simple and convenient.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 shows a back view of the figure of a woman with my improved braces in place. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a view of the strap which generally will be applied to the left shoulder; and Fig. 4 is aview of the strap which generally will be applied to the right shoulder.

The braces consist of the two separate elastic straps A, B, which are provided with fastening devices 0, D, adapted to engage each other as hereinafter described, the member C of the fastening being designed to be passed into the member D, and as the member 0 is more readily manipulated by the right hand, I designate the strap A the left shoulder strap, as by applying it to the left shoulder its member O of the fastening will be at the right side of the wearer. The straps may, however, be applied interchangeably to either the right or left shoulder. Each strap A, B, is in the form of a loop E, and one end of the strap extends beyond the loop as at a, b, the fastening devices 0, D, being secured to such ends. The looped straps are of such a length that with the extended ends a, b, they will embrace the shoulders, extend across the back and meet in front at about the waist as shown, to permit an engagement of the fastenings double back straps b, and around in front, at

the waist, the same as the left strap, and the meeting ends of the two straps are united by the fastenings C, D, as shown in Fig. 2, thus forming a front waist strap.

The fastening devices shown are constructed as follows: The member 0 has a loop 0 whereby it is secured to its strap,'and is formed into a head or disk 0', which is offset to lie in a slightly different plane from the neck c by which it is united to its loop 0. The member D is provided with a loop 01 by which it is secured to the strap and is formed substantially into a ring at, on the interior of which a depressed flange d is provided. The flange d is removed at the sides at diametrically opposite points as at d d and at the front as at d the openings (1 permit the en.- tranceof the head 0', while the opening d receives the neck 0 Thus the head- 0' is passed through the ring d, and is then brought into line with the fastening D, the head 0' resting on the depressed flange d and lying flush with the ring 01. Any other suitable fastening devices may be employed.

In order that the braces may be adapted to fit people of difierent sizes, I make each loop adjustable by providing the same with suitable devices for adj ustably uniting the ends of the loop. Thus in each strap near one end, a longitudinal series of button-holes e is produced, and to the strap, near the opposite end, which carries the fastening member 0 or D, a button or stud F is secured, adapted to enter any one of the button-holes e according to the length to which the loop is to be adjusted.

While I prefer the fastening devices above described, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself thereto, since other devices capable of the same function may be employed, and will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in this line of invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters of the same strap to which it is secured, sub- Patent, is-

As an article of manufacture, the improved shoulder-brace composed of two straps of like 5 form and length, each having a terminal fastening device adapted to engage a corresponding device on the other strap, and also having, at a point adjacent to such terminal device, a second fastening device which is 10 adapted to adj ustably engage the other end stantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 4th day of July, 15 1893.

WALTER GREENSHIELDS. Witnesses:

A. O. H. DE ARCY, H. GREENSHIELDS. 

